Utah State Aggies must execute from lessons learned to win WAC Tournament

RENO " Lawlor Events Center lacks hospitality for Utah State since the Aggies joined the Western Athletic Conference in 2005.

Stew Morrril's crew lost to Nevada almost two weeks ago in a game the Pack led from opening tip-off. Wins against the Pack in Reno are as rare as March temperatures diving below zero.

The Pack led by as many as 23 points in the first half on Feb. 28 but USU played a more balance game in the second half, losing 84-71

Another loss in Reno, but Morrill and his players considered the game as a lessons-learned moment.

Now, USU will see if the learning in the classroom with the Xs and Os and wiggly lines and on the court pays off tonight in the WAC championship game against Nevada.

"We've been here enough times to know what we're in for," Morrill said after Nevada embarrassed his Aggies, "We weren't as ready as we should have been."

Utah State's players looked as though they had shaken loose the Lawlor curse Thursday night by manhandling Fresno State and then staging one of the greatest comebacks in a WAC tournament game in this decade.

Another Aggies' crew - New Mexico State - gave USU another lesson in trying to master the Lawlor mystique. Only a last-second basket from Tyler Newbold extended Utah State's tournament season.

But Utah State kept chipping away at NMSU's lead, one basket at a time. Nothing fancy. Just good, old-fashioned basketball. Good defense, high percentage shooing.

USU didn't travel 500 miles to leave Reno before playing the Wolf Pack for the third time this season.

With Newbold's two-handed 10-foot jumper shot heard along the western foothills of the Wasatch range, Utah State earned another shot to face Nevada in a rematch tonight.

This could be a 10-round battle - like Frazier and Ali - between two great WAC teams and reminiscent of when the Pack edged the Aggies three years ago in another WAC championship game at Lawlor.

Yet, Morrill wanted to savor his team's latest thriller. You know the kind. The type of game that pegs the EKG to a critical level.

"Wow," Morrill said during the postgame press conference when asked for his reaction after the one-point win against New Mexico State.

In 23 years Morrill said he has never been prouder of a group of players like this year's squad.

"They found a way to keep coming back," Morrill said.

After he offered a few more words, Morrill shook his head and smiled.

Utah State will need to continue that character building if it wants to defeat the Pack for a WAC trophy, a prize that keeps eluding Morrill and the Aggies.

Senior Gary Wilkinson, a strong but agile 6-foot-9 forward, has played enough games at Lawlor to figure out the Pack and crowd and what needs to be accomplished.

"I love to play here. The crowd is great, the atmosphere is great," he said after the Aggies' last visit to Reno.

His mind hasn't changed about playing Nevada in front of 10,000 screaming fans.

He watched Friday's first half of the Nevada-Louisiana Tech game and felt more confident.

"We're used to this environment and used to playing in front of large crowds," said Wilkinson, trying to concentrate on his words amid the screaming fans around him. "Large crowds have a lot of energy, and they give us a lot of energy. That's what college basketball is all about. Whatever happens, happens, and you better be ready to play."

Wilkinson and Tai Wesley, asked who they wanted to win the second game, each delivered a strong one-word reply: "Nevada."

"They beat us once; it's not revenge. Just a pride thing," Wilkinson explained.

No matter who wins, Wilkinson said it will be the type of game fans want.

"In the championship game, it's who wants it more or who leaves it on the floor."

Wilkinson, though, doesn't want to be dominated like he was two weeks ago by Nevada freshman Luke Babbitt.

Those were lessons Wilkinson would like to forget.

Flashback to Feb. 28 again.

"He smoked me ... beat me on the perimeter," Wilkinson analyzed.

Returning to Reno this week could be incentive in itself for Wilkinson and his teammates if they want to advance to the NCAA tournament instead of settling for the NIT.

Utah State's players know what the coach wants. Now, they must execute if they want to break the Wolf Pack's Lawlor curse over them.